Automatic stop for sound-reproducing machines



'0. 0'. STORLE.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR scum) REPRODUCING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 24, 1919. 1,341,767.

Patented June 1, 1920. F 3. 1..

UNITED STATES.

OLE O. STORLE, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR SOUND-REPRODUCING MACHINES.

Application filed October 24, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLE O. SronLn, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops for Sound-Reproducing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to sound reproducing machines of the gramophone type in which a stylus traces spirally grooved records carried by a rotary table and is moved inwardly toward the center of the table by engagement with such grooves in the reproduction of records.

The main objects of the invention are to automatically stop such machines without care or attention on the part of the attendant and without resetting or adjusting the stop. mechanism for each record upon the completion of the reproduction of records of different lengths; to avoid interference with the reproduction of the records and ac cidental displacement and failure to operate at the proper time of the brake releasing member; to facilitate the application of the stop to a gramophone so that the parts of the stop mechanism will be in proper relation to the parts of the gra'mophone with which they cotiperate; and generally to improve the construction and operation of stops of this class.

It consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of stop mechanism embodying the invention as applied to a gramophone, parts of which are shown; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view similar to Fig. 1, showing the brake applied and the brake releasing mechanism in a different position from that shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44:, Fig. 1, showing a part of the releasing mechanism in side elevation as viewed from the right relative to Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail View showing a part of the trip arm in side elevation and the drag arm in cross section; and Fig. 7 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

Serial No. 333,016.

a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 3, showing the cam for lifting the drag arm and shifting the brake releasing arm periodically into operative position.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 designates the top board or plate of a gramophone, to-

the under side of which the motor (not shown) is usually fastened, 2 the turn table, 3 the spindle, on the upper end of which the turn table is removably mounted, 4 a record disk in position on the turn table, 5 the tone or stylus arm, and Gthe tracing stylus or needle, all of which are or may be of the usual construction.

The stop mechanism comprises a brake consisting of a lever 8, pivotally and slidably mounted at one end on a stud- 9, and provided at the other end with a shoe or pad 10, of rubber or other suitable material, which is movable into and out of engagement with the depending rim of the turn table. The lever 8 is formed with a notch or seat adapted by engagement with a fixed pin or stud 12 to releasably. hold the brake in off position, as shown, with the shoe or pad 10 out of engagement with the turn table, and is provided with a laterally and inwardly projecting trip arm 13, having an upwardly projecting lug 14:. A spring 16, connecting the arm 13 with a pin or stud 17 tends to hold the notch or seat in the lever 8 in engagement with the pin or stud 12 when the brake is in off position or disengaged from the turn table, and to apply the brake as shown in Fig. 3, when it is released.

An elbow-shaped lever 19, for manually operating the brake, is pivotally mounted on the pin or stud 9, and has an outwardly projecting handle arm and a forked arm slidably engaging the brake lever.

The studs or pins 9, 12 and 17 are preferably attached to a plate 21, which is fastened in proper position to the upper side of the board or plate 1 underneath the turn table, the parts of the brake being thus assembled and held in the proper relation to one another on said plate, and the application of the brake in its entirety to agramophone being facilitated. The notched or offset seat in the brake lever and the pin'or stud 12 with which it cooperates, constitute a detent for holding the brake in off position, or out of engagement with the turn table. The trip arm 13 is formed adjacent its inner end with a downward bend or incline 15, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

A longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing arm or member 23, is pivotally connected at one end with an elbow-shaped lever 24, fulcrumed to a bracket 25, attached to and overhanging a plate 26, which is fastened to the under side of the top board or plate 1 below an opening therein.

Adjacent its opposite end the arm 23 is formed with a notch or shoulder 28, beyond which it extends over the arm 13 of the brake lever. It is shiftable laterally into and outof position to engage the lug 14 for releas ing the brake.

A pinion 30 is mounted on the spindle 3 above the plate 26. A gear 31, preferably of two or more times the diameter of the pinion 30, is rotatably mounted on a in or stud 32,

in mesh with the pinion, and is provided with a crank 33 and with a cam 34.

As shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, the pinion or stud 32 is fastened in or to a plate 36, which is pivoted at one end to the plate 26 and fastened thereto at the other end by a screw or bolt 37 passing through a slotted or enlarged opening in one of the plates, so that the gear 31 may be adjusted toward or from the pinion 30 in order to properly mesh therewith.

The crank 33 is connected by a link or rod 38 with the lever 24 on the opposite side of its fulcrum from its connection with the arm or member 23.

A friction wheel 40 is mounted with a friction wheel 41 of smaller diameter, on a vertical shaft 42, in an oscillatory yoke or support 43,- which is in turn mounted on vertically alined pivot bearings parallel with the shaft 42 between the overhanging bracket 25 and the plate 26. The yoke or support 43 is provided with a laterally projecting stop and guide arm 45, having a downwardly bent end movable into and out of position to prevent engagement of the brake releasing arm or member 23 with the trip lug 14. A spring 47, connecting the yoke or support 43 with the bracket 25, yieldingly and normally holds it against a stop pin or stud 48, fastened to and projecting upwardly from the plate 26, and the arm 45 in position to prevent engagement of the arm 23 with the lug 14.

A friction segment or member connected and movable with the tone or stylus arm 5, is adapted by engagement with the friction wheel 41 to rotate it and the friction wheel 40, when the tone or stylus arm is swung across a record. The curved edge or working face of the segment 50 is of gradually diminishing radius adjacent and toward the end which first engages the friction wheel 41 during the reproduction of a record, the remainder of such edge or surface adjacent the other end of the segment being concentric with the pivot axis of the toneor stylus arm 5. The segment or memher 50 is so disposed with relation 'to the tone or stylus arm 5 that it Wlll engage the friction wheel 41, shift the stop and guide arm 45 out of position to prevent engagement of the arm or member 23 with the trip lug 14, and begin to rotate the friction wheel 40 before the stylus 6 reaches the end of the spiral. groove of the shortest record to be reproduced.

A horizontally and vertically swinging drag arm 52 is detachably and pivotally connected at one end with the shaft 42 below the friction wheel 40, and extends radially therefrom over the gear 31 and the trip arm 13 of the brake lever. It is connected at the opposite end by an adjustable link 53 with the arm or member 23, this link being preferably made of wire, the length of which is adjusted by forming a more or less abrupt bend therein. The arm 52 is formed or provided with an upwardly bent or projecting branch 54, which overhangs the friction wheel 40 and is folded over and clasps the edges of a friction pad or shoe 55, normally resting on the friction wheel. Adjacent its free end the arm 52 is bent up wardly to clear the trip arm 13 when the brake is in off position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and is then bent downwardly to engage with the arm 13 when the brake is applied as shown in Fig. 3, Above and opposite the gear 31 the arm 52 is formed or provided on the under side with a transverse rib 57 and a downwardly projecting lug 53 at one end of the rib, as shown most clearly in Fig. 5, in position to cooperate with the cam 34 on said gear. The rib 57 is preferably disposed obliquely across the arm 52, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, and the cam 34 is inclined downwardly in opposite directions toward its ends, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, so as to pass under the rib and by engagement therewith lift the arm when the gear is rotated in either direction, and thus lift the pad or shoe 5.) out of contact with the friction wheel 40.

The cam 34 is formed on the inner side, as shown in Fig. 3, with an inward projection which by engagement with the lug 58, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 is adapted to shift the arm 52 toward the arm 23 when the friction shoe or pad is lifted out of contact with the friction wheel 40 by the passage of the cam underneath the rib 57.

The cam is curved concentrically with the gear 31, and the rib 37 is so disposed relative thereto that the arm 52, after it has been lifted and shifted inwardly by the cam, will be lowered with the friction pad 55 in the same position relative to the friction wheel 40 that it is left by the central inside projection of'the cam.

The friction wheel shaft 42 is provided below the wheel 40 with a vertically adjustable collar 60, held in place therehn by a set screw and with a pivot plate 61, and the inner end of the arm 52 is forked to embrace the shaft, and transversely flanged to hook over and engage the pivot plate, as shown in Fig. 2. The arm 52 is formed on the upper side, and the pivot plate 61 is formed on the under side, with transverse ribs in line with the shaft 42, to form pivot bearings against the friction wheel 40 and the collar 60, between which the arm is confined. By loosening the set screw and lowering the collar 60 with the pivot plate 61, theinner end of the arm 52 can be lifted out of engagement with the pivot plate and withdrawn from the shaft 42.

A stop pin 63, fastened to and projecting upwardly from the plate 26, limits the outward movement of the drag arm 52 and of the brake releasing arm or member 23 with which it is connected, as shown in Fig. 3.

To facilitate the application of the brake releasing mechanism to a gramophone, so that the parts of such mechanism shall occupy the proper relation to one another and to the parts of the gramophone with which they cooperate, the mechanism is mounted on the plate 26 and the plate is formed with an opening which fits over a boss 65 on the upper spindle bearing or upper part of the motor case or frame, as shown in Fig. 2.

In the operation of the stop, the tone or stylus arm 5 being swung outwardly and the stylus 6 entered in the outer turn of the groove in a record disk 4, when the brake is turned into off position and the turn table is rotated, the gear 31 and crank 33 will be turned counterclockwise, as indicated by an arrow on Fig. 1, and the brake releasing arm or member 23 will be idly reciprocated by the crank, said arm or member being held and guided out of operative position to engage with the trip lug 14 by the arm 45. lVitheach revolution of the gear 31 the cam 34, by engagement with the rib 57, will lift and lower the drag arm 52 without effect.

As the stylus approaches the inner end of the record groove the friction segment or member 50 is brought into engagement with the friction wheel 41, thereby swinging the yoke 43 inwardly against the tension of the spring 47 and shifting the stop and guide arm 45 away from the arm or member 23. The friction wheel 40 being turned in the direction indicated by an arrow on Fig. 1,

by engagement of the segment 50 with the friction wheel 41, tends by engagement with the pad or shoe 55, resting thereon, to shift the arm 52 toward and to hold it against the stop pin 63, with the brake releasing arm or member 23 out of operative position, as shown in Fig. 3. With each revolution of the gear 31, the arm 52 is lifted and .swung inwardly by'the cam 34, thereby shifting the arm or member 23 into operative position during the withdrawal or inward movement of the arm or member 23 by the crank 33. However, before the shoulder 28 is carried by the advance or outward movement of the arm or member 23 into position to engage with the trip lug 14, the friction pad or shoe 55 having been lowered by the cam 34 into engagement with the friction wheel 40, shifts the arm 52 outward toward the stop pin 63, carrying the arm or member 23 into inoperative position. In this way the brakereleasing arm or member 23 will be alternately shifted into and out of operative position until the stylus reaches the end ofthe record groove and the rotation of the friction wheel 40 is arrested. l/Vhen this occurs, and the friction pad or shoe 55 is next lowered by the cam 34 upon the friction wheel 40, which is now at rest, the arm 52 will be held thereby in its inner position, and will hold the brake releasing arm or member 23 in operative position, as shown in Fig. 1, so that with the next advance or outward movement of the arm or member 23, the shoulder 28 will engage with the trip lug 14 and release the brake. The brake being thus released, is instantly. applied by the spring 16, thereby shifting the trip arm 13 underneath the downwardly 9 bent end of the drag arm 52, and lifting the pad 55 out of. contact with the friction wheel 40. As the trip arm 13 is thus shifted outwardly with the application of the brake, the downwardly bent end of the drag arm 52 engaging the downward bend 15 of the trip arm slides downwardly thereon against the stop" pin 63, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby shifting the arm or member 23 away from the trip lug 14, so that the notch or shoulder 28 will not engage with the trip lug and interfere with manually turning the brake lever 8 back into off position. The downwardly bent end of the trip arm 13 on which the downwardly bent end of the drag arm 52 rests, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, when the brake is applied, supports the pad or shoe 55 out of contact with the friction wheel 40 and prevents its rubbing on the wheel and obstructing its rotation and the outward movement of the tone or stylus arm 5 while the segment 50 is in engagement with the wheel 41.

As soon as the segment 50 in its outward movement clears the friction wheel 41, the yoke 43 with the stop and guide arm 45 will be returned to its original position against the stop pin 48, by the spring 47.

When the brake is off and the gramophone is reproducing a record, the trip arm 13 lies directly below the upwardly bent portion of the drag arm 52 and does not interfere with its operation, and the pad or shoe 55 being lifted out of contact with the friction wheel 40 when the drag arm. is

shifted inwardly by the cam 34: to carry the arm 23 into operative position, does not slide or slip on the friction wheel and thus affect the tone of the instrument or interfere with the operation of the machine.

Modification in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of the machine may be made Without affecting its operation or departure from the principle and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines the combination With a brake, means tending to apply the brake and means for releasably holding the brake in off position, of a longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing arm shiftable laterally into and out of operative position, means actuated by the turn table spindle for reciprocating the brake releasing arm and shifting it periodically into operative position, a pivoted drag arm connected by a link with the brake releasing arm, a friction wheel with which the drag arm is adapted to engage, and a friction segment connected with the stylus arm and adapted to rotate the friction wheel and shift the brake releasing arm out of operative position when the friction wheel is rotated by the inward movement of the stylus arm.

2. In an automatic stop: for sound reproducing machines, the combination of a brake comprising an arm, means tending to apply the brake, means for releasably holding the brake in off position, a longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing arm shiftable laterally into and out of operative position, a pivoted drag arm connected with the brake releasing arm and a friction wheel actuated by the stylus arm and tending by engagement with the drag arm to shift the brake releasing arm into inoperative position as long as the friction wheel is rotated by the inward movement of the stylus arm, the drag arm extending over the brake arm one of which has an incline adapted to lift the drag arm out of engagement with the friction wheel when the brake is applied and the friction wheel is rotated in a reverse direction by the outward movement of the stylus arm.

3. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines the combination with a brake, means tending to apply the brake and means for releasably holding the brake in off position, of a longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing arm shiftable laterally into and out of operative position, a friction member actuated by the stylus arm, a pivoted drag arm actuated by the friction member and an adjustable link connecting the brake releasing arm with the drag arm which tends to shift the brake releasing arm out of operative position when the stylus O arm is moved inwardly and to hold it in operative position when the inward movement of the stylus arm is arrested.

4. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines the combination with a brake, means tending to apply the brake, and means for releasably holding the brake in off position, of a longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing arm movable laterally into and out of operative position, a horizontally mounted friction wheel, a friction member connected with the stylus arm and adapted to rotate the friction wheel when the stylus arm moves across a record, a pivoted drag arm disposed radially to the friction wheel and provided with a friction shoe for engagement therewith, a link connecting the brake releasing arm with the drag arm, a pinion on the turn table spindle, a gear meshing with the pinion and provided with a cam adapted to lift said shoe out of enagement with the friction wheel and to shift the brake releasing arm with the drag arm into operative position on each revolution of the gear, and a crank attached to the gear and connected with and adapted to reciprocate the brake releasing member.

5. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combination with a brake, means tending to apply the brake, and means for releasably holding the brake in off position, of a longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing member movable laterally into and out of operative position, a friction wheel mounted on a vertical shaft parallel with the turn table spindle, a friction member connected with the stylus arm and adapted to rotate the friction wheel when the stylus arm moves across a record, a pivot plate loosely mounted on the friction wheel shaft below the wheel, a vertically adjustable collar mounted on said shaft below the pivot plate, a drag arm connected with the brake releasing member, forked and transversely flanged at one end to removably embrace said shaft and engage the pivot plate and provided with a friction shoe for engagement with said wheel and shifting the brake releasing member out of operative position, and means actuated bythe turn table spindle and adapted to reciprocate the brake releasing member and to periodically shift it into operative position.

6. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines the combination of a brake lever comprising an arm having an incline adjacent one end, means tending to apply the brake, means for releasably holding the brake in off position, a longitudinally reciprocative brake releasing member movable laterally into and out of operative position, a friction wheel adapted to be turned by the movement of the stylus arm across a record, a horizontally and vertically movable pivoted drag arm extending over the brake arm, connected with the brake releasing member and engageable with the friction wheel, said drag arm being arranged to engage and slide down the incline of the brake arm and shift the brake releasing member into inoperative position when the brake is released and applied, and means actuated by the turn table spindle for reciprocating the brake releasing member and periodically shifting it into inoperative position.

7. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines the combination with a brake, means tending to apply the brake and means for releasably holding the brake in ofl? position, of a turn table spindle bearing having an upwardly extending boss, a plate having an opening fitting said boss, and brake releasing mechanism mounted on said plate and adapted to be operated by moving parts of the sound reproducing machine, the engagement of the boss with the opening in the plate determining the proper cooperative relation of the brake releasing mechanism to associated parts of the sound reproducing machine.

In witness whereof I hereto afiix my signature.

OLE O. STORLE. 

